Prep softball: Dramatic walk-off home run gives Riverton the 5A title (with video)

By Eric Butler Special To The Tribune

Published May 27, 2016 9:57 am

5A softball • Eakle's 3-run HR in the bottom of the seventh caps rally in 13-11 win over West.

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This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Taylorsville • In a game already past the three-hour mark, with 21 combined runs on the board and Riverton trailing by one, the Silverwolves were one out from seeing their afternoon go well into the evening with a second game.

In other words, the Silverwolves had West right where they wanted them.

Just as it did the day before, Riverton rallied in the seventh against the Panthers. And when Taylor Eakle clubbed a three-run homer to left field, it kept Riverton from having to play West one more time  more importantly though, it gave the Silverwolves their first state softball championship.

Riverton beat West 13-11 in the Class 5A title game on Thursday, one day after rallying for six runs in the seventh to beat the Panthers. This time, it was the bottom of the seventh and Eakle's home run capped a five-run final inning.

"I'm always looking for that perfect pitch in those types of situations," said Eakle, who hit a grand slam against West the day before. "Those first two [strikes from Panthers' pitcher Shayna Alofipo] weren't just what I wanted. That last one was just money  the one I had been looking for all day."

For Lockhart, the day was a strange blend of cheerleading activity capped by her usual heroics. Riverton's usual ace pitcher was held in reserve for that role after her fast offerings were measured  and then belted  by West in the early innings of the first meeting.

Instead, it was sophomore Eryn Williams and then freshman Payton Anderson who held down the pitching duties until Lockhart entered in the top of the sixth. And, on the batting end, the Silverwolves' senior struck out in her first appearance and then contented herself with drawing two walks until she came up in the sixth.

That's when Lockhart crushed a ball deep over the center-field fence for two runs as Riverton (24-5) cut the West (28-5) advantage to 10-8.

"I was just cheering and staying in it pitch by pitch, being ready to go in at all times," said Lockhart, who finished the game by not allowing a West hit although issuing two walks in her inning-and-two-thirds of work. "I was watching her [Riverton coach Katelyn Elliott] look around, saying, 'I'm ready' and then waiting for the next time."

"I knew we were deep in pitching and I told them, at the beginning, 'We're going to use all of you,' " said Elliott, who had played on the Spanish Fork state championship team in 2006. "That's the greatest game ever."

West, which eliminated Taylorsville 11-8 earlier in the day, never stopped hitting throughout the tournament. Alopino, for instance, stroked a pair of doubles from her ninth spot in the hitting order.

The Panthers also got a spectacular defensive play from center fielder Keisha White, who ended the fifth inning by leaping high to snag a drive by Riverton's HailyJo Hanson and dove over the fence  while still holding on to the ball.

"They bring a new meaning of leaving everything out on the field," West coach Keith Lopati said. "They left it out and played their hearts out.

"They've set a great foundation for our program with the young nucleus that we have," he added. 

Storylines

R Riverton earns the state championship on a walk-off three-run homer by Taylor Eakle.

• Jordan Lockhart homered for two runs in the sixth for Riverton, which trailed the entire game until the last play.

• West, which beat Taylorsville 11-8 earlier in the day, would have forced one final game had it been able to hold off the Silverwolves.

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